Hicks: Jessica Simpson to try television

Jessica Simpson will star in an NBC-produced sitcom based on her life, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Are they sure they aren't asking too much of her?

Universal Television and Electus will co-produce the pilot, based on a pitch developed by Robin and Nick Bakay "We are thrilled to team up with the multitalented Jessica Simpson to bring this new sitcom to life on NBC as she is truly a modern-day Lucy with incredible comedic chops," Electus founder and chairman Silverman said. "From running a fashion empire to wrangling her public image as a new mom, we see Jessica's character approach a variety of 'everyday' circumstances that will get audiences laughing out loud."

As opposed to laughing silently, which is how they laugh overseas. Dumb non-Americans.

Simpson said, "I am so excited to work with Ben and NBC again, this time on a scripted comedy. I often find myself thinking that no one could ever make up the things that actually happen in my life, so between the real-life elements and a great team of writers, I think we'll have people laughing."

My side is hurting, I'm already laughing so much. And definitely out loud.

Simpson's life largely has been spent in the public eye, signing with Tommy Mottola and Columbia Records at 16. At 19, her first studio album reached No. 25 on the Billboard 200 as the label helped market the singer using her "virgin" appeal with Simpson publicly stating that she would remain abstinent until marriage.

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When reached for comment, John Mayer laughed. Out loud.

The singer's marriage to former 98 Degrees frontman Nick Lachey was documented in "MTV's Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica," which ran for three seasons on the network (they later divorced).

NBC's semi-autobiographical entry marks Simpson's second attempt at scripted comedy. In 2004, ABC ordered a pilot titled "Jessica," which starred the singer-actress as a pop star-turned-TV news anchor. But the show was not picked up to series.

Simpson's acting credits include the movies "Employee of the Month" and "The Dukes of Hazzard" and on television on "Entourage" and "That 70's Show."

BRITNEY SPEARS ENDED RELATIONSHIP OVER KIDS: Britney Spears and Jason Trawick split up because she wants more children and he doesn't.

On the bright side, at least her next boyfriend will know what to expect.

TMZ reported that Spears, 31, wanted more children, while Trawick, 41, was resistant to expanding their family, which already included Spears' two children from her previous marriage to Kevin Federline.

The website also quotes a source that says Trawick was "in another place" and that over time, his three-year involvement as Spears' agent and boyfriend consumed him and "took away his individuality." Trawick is a talent manager who reportedly oversaw the careers of Taylor Swift, Hilary Duff, Paris Hilton and Heidi Klum.

If he was a "talent" manager what exactly was he doing with Paris Hilton?

A source told Fox News the breakup "has really been in motion awhile. Jason has been very stressed and concerned for Britney and what she might do if he left," the insider said. "He is worried about her and really loved her, but it started to take a real toll on him." The burden of taking care instead of a partnership where she also takes care."

That's right. It's not every boyfriend who has be ready if his girlfriend decides to shave her head and attack a parked car.

Spears confirmed the split to People magazine on Friday, saying in a statement, "Jason and I have decided to call off our engagement. I'll always adore him and we will remain great friends." Spears is also said to have returned the $90,000 engagement ring Trawick gave her in December 2011, when he proposed on his 40th birthday.

LINDSAY LOHAN GETS LUCKY: Despite learning that Lindsay Lohan had fired her on Monday, attorney Shawn Holley appeared in court for the actress on Tuesday, entering a not guilty plea to charges Lohan lied to police about her June car wreck on the Pacific Coast Highway.

Shawn Holley is a nice lady.

When the judge asked Holley if she was still representing Lohan, Holley said, "At this point, yes." It was unclear what that means, since she supposedly got a letter Monday saying she was fired. Lohan has hired New York lawyer, Mark Heller.

The judge was understandably confused. Holley said, "The representation issue will be nailed down."

Had Holley not intervened -- since Lohan wasn't in the vicinity -- the judge would have likely issued a warrant for Lohan's arrest.

A pretrial date was scheduled for Jan. 30, at which Lohan is required to appear.

Holley was supposedly fired Monday morning as she was on her way to court to negotiate the 3,372nd deal to keep Lohan out of jail. TMZ reported she was replaced by Heller, who gained fame as Jon Gosselin's divorce lawyer, and who was suspended for practicing law for five years in the 1990s. Heller also is not licensed to practice law in California, were the majority of Lohan's alleged crimes are committed.

Well, this all makes perfect sense.

CHARLIE SHEEN WILL BE A GRANDPA: Charlie Sheen is going to be a grandpa.

That popping sound you're hearing is the nearest ocean, beginning to boil.

The actor's oldest daughter, Cassandra, 28, is expecting her first child. Sheen's ex-wife Denise Richards announced the news on Twitter, writing, "I guess some of you have heard ... @charliesheen is going to be a Grampa ... yes GRAMPA!" Adding, "his beautiful daughter Cassandra is gonna be a mama."

Nothing like sending little Timmy over to Grandpa Charlie's house, where he can go swimming, have lunch, and learn words like "crack pipe" and "escort."

Cassandra's mother is the actor's high school girlfriend Paula Profit. The two never married. Sheen was married to Richards from 2002 to 2006 and they have two children together, Sam, 8, and Lola, 7. The actor also has 3-year-old twin sons, Bob and Max, with Brooke Mueller, who lets Richards watch her kids sometimes because she goes to rehab a lot.

How encouraging to hear there's another generation on the way.

KATHERINE WEBB ALREADY RIPPING KIM KARDASHIAN: Katherine Webb has been famous for a bit longer than a week, and she's already taking shots at Kim Kardashian.

Hey lady, that's somebody's mother you're talking about.

As you know, the former Miss Alabama and girlfriend of Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron became famous last week during the NCAA championship game, when announcer Brent Musburger salivated all over himself while they showed Webb watching the game in the stands. By the end of the week, she was slated to pose in the new Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Which means she had a chance, during an interview with Sports Illustrated appearing on its website, to call herself "The anti Kim Kardashian."

"I've been approached by different publications, but I think a lot of America appreciated how classy I was, and I got a lot of responses saying I was America's sweetheart and all that kind of stuff," Webb said. "I'm from Alabama and I have morals and I have class. That's my personality. A lot of people have said I'm the anti-Kim Kardashian and I'm all right with that."

So she's from Alabama, therefore she automatically has morals and class? Really?

In Alabama's defense, though, it did have Forrest Gump.

The interviewer pointed out that Kardashian "has done all right for herself." To which Webb said, "She made herself into who she is and that's fine and all that. But I guess the way I want to go about all this is, I just want to have a positive image for myself. I want girls to be able to look up to me and to say, 'I want to be just like her one day.' That's what I did as Miss Alabama and I loved that."

1969: Two manned Soviet Soyuz spaceships became the first vehicles to dock in space and transfer personnel.

1978: NASA named 35 candidates to fly on the space shuttle, including Sally K. Ride, who became America's first woman in space, and Guion S. Bluford Jr., who became America's first black astronaut in space.

1987: Hu Yaobang resigned as head of China's Communist Party, declaring he'd made mistakes in dealing with student turmoil and intellectual challenges to the system.

1991: The White House announced the start of Operation Desert Storm to drive Iraqi forces out of Kuwait.

2003: The space shuttle Columbia blasted off under extremely tight security for what turned out to be its last flight; on board was Israel's first astronaut, Ilan Ramon (The mission ended in tragedy on Feb. 1, when the shuttle broke up during its return descent, killing all seven crew members.)

2008: Archbishop Earl Paulk, the 80-year-old leader of a megachurch, pleaded guilty in Atlanta to lying under oath about his sexual affairs and was sentenced to 10 years' probation. (Paulk died in March 2009.)